I am a movie fanatic and love to hit the cineplex whenever I get a chance. It doesn’t hurt that I have a son who is a film director in Hollywood. Plus, I had the pleasure of serving on Robert Redford’... more
I don’t care if you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a small business owner or a manager or supervisor -- you are only as good as the people around you. In other words, it’s important to surround ... more
Thomas Edison once visited Luther Burbank, the famed horticulturist, who invited every guest who visited his home to sign the guest book. Each line in the book had a space for the guest's name, addres... more
A dejected father confided in his pastor with a problem: His youngster had been caught cheating on a test at school. He was crushed, feeling like he had failed as a father, and was concerned it would ... more
The founder of a highly successful company was asked what it took to succeed. He answered: “The same thing it took to get started: a sense of urgency about getting things done.”... more
A woman hired a bricklayer to build a wall outside her upscale home. Talking with him while he worked, she was amazed to discover that he was the brother of a brilliant concert violinist whom she’d re... more
A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city and attached the following message to his windshield: “I have circled this block 10 times. I have an appointment to keep. Forgive us our ... more
A man attending a seminar on interpersonal relationships became convinced of the need for him to begin showing appreciation to people. His family seemed like an appropriate place to start. So, on his ... more
Social work students were learning the value of reflective listening -- summarizing what someone has said to show you heard them accurately. At the conclusion of several practice sessions, each studen... more
Mamie Adams always enjoyed going to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly. She went there to buy stamps just before the holidays one year, and the lines wer... more
I’ve always felt that the real title to every book I’ve written and most of my nationally syndicated columns is Prepare to Win. But I have a fondness for catchier titles, so for my networking book, I ... more
There’s a good reason why Debbi Fields of cookie fame is so successful, and she summed it up in an aphorism I’ll never forget: “Good enough never is.”... more
In a village long ago, there lived a young boy who loved nothing as much as competing in athletic contests. Because he was fit and strong, he usually triumphed and grew to love the adulation he receiv... more
Whether you run your own business or work for a company in a sales-related role, you’re always looking for sales techniques that work. I’ve developed and learned many over the years from readers provi... more
I could fill volumes about chance meetings that have changed people’s lives, led to jobs, business opportunities, partnerships, new ideas, etc. -- all because people sought other people with similar i... more
Procrastination is a thief. It robs you of the one commodity that you just can’t buy back: time. It throws off schedules. It replaces accomplishment with inaction. It turns dreams into nightmares.... more
The Boy Scouts were at camp. In an inspection, the director found an umbrella neatly rolled inside the bedroll of a small scout. An umbrella was not listed as a necessary item, so the director asked t... more
Readers of this column are remarkable when it comes to telling me what they like most about my weekly musings. Of course, I’m honored when they tell me they have posted my words on company bulletin bo... more
Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, was asked the reason his team defeated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 2017 NBA championship. He answered in one word: “Unselfish.... more
J.C. Penney, founder of the retail giant that bears his name, once evaluated one of his young clerks, stating he “wasn’t thorough and wouldn’t have much of a future in the retail business.” The employ... more
You learn to be book smart in school, but you better not forget that you need to also be street smart. As I like to say, knowledge does not become power until it is used!... more
Few issues baffle me more than the lack of service that businesses think their customers will tolerate. I just don’t understand how some companies keep their doors open. On the other hand, I’m sure th... more